Zero Lift Law= Zero Compensation for Injury under L&I

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I went to the mandatory education for new employees at the hospital today. We covered the lifting equipment. Our state has a new zero lift law, meaning hospitals must have zero lift equipment. Supposedly this is all to protect nurses, right? The ANA in our state is taking all the credit for the law, heralding in a new age for the nurses of today and tomorrow.

I found out today that under the new law, if the hospital has given you the ed on the equipment and you hurt your back, you're out of luck for any L&I claim if injured. The irony is, we had to search the whole hospital for an available sit to stand lift device and a hoyer lift device. So, you're required to use the equipment, but there aren't enough of them to go around. The two hoyers on one floor were in isolation rooms, and this education woman told me that if I needed one I'd be required to get one out of the isolation room, clean it, and then use it.

So, as usual, nurses will get burned under this new law that is disguised as something to help them. They must use the equipment, even if it takes them half the day to hunt one down. I for one will be charting "no zero lift equipment available at this time so patient on bed rest"

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Things like this have been on my mind lately. Article in the local paper talking about how the local hospital is going to start doing bariatric surgery, and knowing them (having worked there for a few years), I'm imagining they won't get enough equipment to handle the increase in bariatric patients. They'll get some to say they have it and the nurses have to use it, but it won't be available or findable when it's needed.

[loricatus]

Would you be covered if you hurt your back lugging the equipment to the bedside or hurt yourself while cleaning it down? Also, you can hurt your back (especially the upper back) preparing the patient for the lift-I have done that by the way I have to extend my arms across the bed.

Can't see how an injury could be legally denied.

What a bunch of BS you have to put up with.

BTW, I agree with you on the charting

[Batman24]

I wouldn't lift without it from here on out. I'd also be documenting left and right AND filling out IRs left and right to protect yourself. Idiocy.

And I agree with lorticus...you could hurt yourself lugging it into the room, etc. I would think a good lawyer would help here to recoup losses if need be.

[Straydandelion]

...if the hospital has given you the ed on the equipment and you hurt your back, you're out of luck for any L&I claim if injured

Is this per ANA recommendation or through your hospital, and does the law denote how much equipment per patient, if not it is definitely remiss.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I thought to myself, no wonder the state was so eager to pass this wonderful law It's a win win for them. Doesn't cost them a dime, makes them look like advocates of hard working nurses, and saves them big time on L&I claims. The ANA gets to take a bunch of the credit in helping the poor overworked bedside nurse and improve their standing with the powers that be in government.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I'm going to speak with my state representative. He's a former paramedic and his daughter was on my daughter's basketball team a couple of years back. He's very friendly and would be interested in hearing about this.

[oramar]

They are already doing a good job of ducking responsibility for back injuries. This will make it even easier.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

According to this inservice person, if you hurt your back or other body part, and you were trying to lift without the equipment that you have been educated on and are mandated by law to use, then you will be ineligible for L&I if injured.

Meanwhile, we were not able to find an available piece of said equipment for the inservice. The equipment is not readily available in a timely manner. Another win for management and big government, another loss for the hardpressed bedside nurse! What more could I ever expect?

[Pepperlady]

I would certainly be letting the patients and family know about the lack of equipment when thier loved ones need it. Grandma can't get out of bed???? Well yes she can, let me go get the lift out of the isolation room for Grandma.....that might get more equipment for you.

[Hoozdo, ADN]

That's OK, depending what state you are in, Workmen's Comp is not even enough to live on in case you get an on the job injury. Then you are denied short term disability and long term disability because it is an "on the job" injury.

I was off work for 4 months last year and got a wonderful salary of 300 bucks a week from Workmen's Comp. I will never file another incident report for an on the job injury.

It's about time OSHA created some lifting rules for nurses in hospitals!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I did a paper on this a few years ago.

Write a letter to your state representative informing them of your hospital's situation. Many of these laws, when I researched this topic, delineated exactly how much lifting equipment must be maintained by facilities. State funding may have been provided for as part of this new law.